Dylan's Best Man Duties - Dylan Verse Part 7
by Awatere11
Summary: So now the wedding and they are going to make it special for their little boy as well as each other. The only cloud apart from Jack's desire to have his mother-in-law there is those babies in that house while the authorities drag the chain. Dylan is unaware of the problems and also determined to be the best best man ever. Alt verse don't like don't read part 7 so read others 1st
1. Chapter 1

1

Ianto was putting his foot down.

Jack stood with a look of surprise as Ianto eyeballed him and said again, "I am not inviting her."

"But…" Jack flapped his arms as he did when confused, "You are the one who invited her into our home. You said you forgave her!"

"And she is still your ex-mother-in-law" Ianto said just as calmly "It is our day. I do not need a reminder of your wife."

"So Dylan isn't invited either then" Jack folded his arms and stared at Ianto with that chin jut that warned of a major snit.

Ianto narrowed his eyes as he saw the power play and knew that if he backed down Jack would crow like the child who got the toy after a tug of war so he decided to call his bluff, "Fine. Maybe I'm not invited either."

Jack was now horrified as Ianto turned and stormed from the room, the Jones-hit-n-run totally blindsiding the man. They were so stressed, what had been a supposedly blessed event was fast turning into something more akin to a horror movie and now Jack stood amongst the fabric samples with his intended moving away from the samples their planner was trying to show them. The business had a little garden attached and Jack knew Ianto would head there.

"Don't go anywhere!" Jack said to the wedding planner who seemed calm as she sat in her own office without blinking at the suggestion she might be the one to leave, maybe saw this all the time, and he ran after Ianto who had reached the tacky garden complete with horrible water feature.

"I am fond of her and am happy to have her at the reception in the afternoon but we agreed, just family for the service on the island. You, me, Dylan and the Cleric who is a cousin" Ianto turned to face him, "We said this to Dylan, we agreed."

"I … yes we did" Jack sighed, "Sorry. I just … she is the closest to a mother I have now and I know we are both stressed with the change in plans. I don't mean to take it out on you, I am bad at exploding."

"I know" Ianto agreed as he looked back at the garden, "Neither of us could have anticipated Andy's accident. Gods, so accident prone. At least he will be OK."

"Yeah, only he could fall from the top step of the local swimming pool and hit his head before going in to nearly drown himself" Jack snorted, "At least he will be OK, if not a bit embarrassed to use that pool again."

"Even more reason not to invite her, he will not be on the boat waiting now" Ianto placed his hands on Jack's chest, "This is just for us. I want to feel safe, I want to feel like we are the only people in the world, don't you get it? Dawn breakfast and service in the waves, then we spend some time there on the island just … being. A picnic and then back to the house where we have a snooze, some… time together… Dylan was going to be with Andy so we could quietly consummate but now we will just have to wait. I don't want anyone else there. Entering the house as a married couple, our home. It should be just us. Dylan can feel important helping us prepare for the guests coming after lunch for a meal and then dusk means they go home leaving us to have a moonlight dance together."

"You really thought this through" Jack smiled. Both knowing it was the thought of the little ones in that house that was really upsetting them, the authorities moving so damned slowly to respond to their complaints.

"We promised Dylan, we made this the plan. Andy has put a spanner n the works as Dylan will not feel safe with anyone else. He will need to see us at all times now" And Ianto saw Jack's face change.

"Deidra could…."

Ianto let his hands drop as he stepped back, "You were not listening at all, were you."

"I was" Jack whined, "I didn't mean it like … hey!"

Ianto walked back in and sat once again, picking up the swatches, "I do not like this red. It is too yellow. More…. Velvety please."

She nodded as she made notes and Jack sat with a look of doom as he released he had just lost the argument they had been having underneath the conversation.

He wanted Deidra there, having her there with Andy out of action meant they could still have some afternoon delight before all the speeches and…. Shit. Jack realised he was being a prick while Ianto made allowances and he slumped as he watched Ianto calmly ignore him.

"Sorry Tiger" Jack said after a while, "Of course she would make you uncomfortable. She is a piece of my past. I guess it also gives Dylan the thrill of telling her all about it."

Ianto smiled.

"I know you were being a twat Cariad, it's OK. We are both stressed, Andy scared us. The fact Dylan was with him made it all the more worse, the first time since the … incident… that Dylan was happy to go anywhere other than school." Ianto patted Jack's arm, "Do not be an arse and I will not be forced to be a grump."

Jack hoped Andy's concussion would be their only speed bump.

He hated disappointing Ianto.


	2. Chapter 2

2

Dylan was so excited as he held onto the railing, the dawn not far away as the running lights lit their way to the island. He looked back at his father, standing behind him with a matching look of glee and the cleric nervously checking his tablet as it pinged to tell him he was entering restricted waters and had clearance to enter this one time under the Jones banner. He knew he had been chosen as he had been one of those to receive a child Ianto had helped, the adoption of his daughter made possible by the man he owed so much to. He had pulled strings and would now perform the only ceremony he would ever conduct. He would bond these two men.

Ianto and Jack had resolved their argument with the agreement not to disagree again, if one said no to something they would accept it and move on. This was more important, this day, this moment than something or someone else. Dylan knew there had been a shift somewhere but both men were happy and calm so he let it go, his little brain telling him that it was no big deal if the grups said it was no big deal.

The island was coming up now, the shore looking like it was made of glass and he heard the crunch as the bow hit the gravel and Jack leapt to the dock with the bow rope to secure it.

Soon they were walking up a path to where an old house stood, dilapidated and sad. Dylan felt sorry for it all alone and abandoned. Poor house. Then it was time to start, heading to the little beach around the side where there was a little path, and there was a little table laid out with candles and such that Jack was lighting, excited for it all to start.

"Right, Dylan you stand here by me" Jack said as he strode into the lapping waves, "Taddy stands there. When the Cleric asks who gives us to the bonding you speak up and place our hands together."

"I remember!" Dylan jiggled as he waited for Ianto to step over then nod.

"Well, in the view of the moon goddess and the sun god rising to bear witness, we accept the kiss of the water gods and place out feet firmly in the soil, we are life. We are love. We are the universe slowly moving to the beat of the drum" the cleric stopped speaking and cleared his throat, "the drum beat is the beat of your hearts, beating as one. In tune to the Verse. As it should be."

"Rings" Dylan hissed and Ianto snorted as the cleric looked at the boy with open amusement.

"Who gives permission for this bonding?"

"Oh! ME!" Dylan yelled seizing the men's hands and placing them together, then leaving his hands around them, "Mine!"

"As the Gods watch over us, we accept them as witness to this union of minds, souls and hearts" the cleric snorted as Dylan jiggled some more, "Rings?"

"Yes!" Dylan excitedly pulled the rings out and then to the extreme amusement of the three men, he then slid them onto their fingers for them as well. For some reason, it seemed as it should be. Then Ianto knelt, not caring about the water hitting his shorts as he pulled something from his pocket. Ianto opened his palm, Dylan gasping.

A necklace.

"See? It has an H and a J on it to show you are ours" Ianto placed it around the little boy's neck, "You are now bonded to me too. You and Daddy are mine. All mine and wear the marks of my love."

Jack hadn't expected it either, taking a few breaths to calm himself at the blatant display of love and he now knew why his Mother-in-law would have not felt right. Ianto was not just accepting Jack, he was declaring intent to take Dylan as well.

Of course he was.

Jack kicked himself for not seeing this, of course he would think of Dylan on this day, of course he wanted to reassure the child.

Their son.

"Darling, how wonderful" Jack finally choked out as Dylan looked down at the gold and silver initials, his eyes wide as the necklace sat on his chest.

"Harkness-Jones" he whispered.

"I am taking Daddy's name but keeping mine as well. I will call myself Harkness-Jones" Ianto explained. Jack couldn't believe they hadn't talked about this, he had missed….shit. Ianto had asked when they were doing the invites which name should go first. Jack had said it should be Harkness first as he had more people coming … douche bag. Big fat douche… "Cariad?"

"Yes love?" Jack said as Ianto rose, "You look like you lost something."

"A moment" Jack smiled, "I lost a moment. I love the idea of that. Harkness-Jones. I will too."

"Me too?" Dylan asked and Ianto looked at Jack with surprise as Jack answered.

"Well, maybe that's a good idea too. We could look into that if you want" Jack promised and Dylan looked at Ianto with glee.

Ianto had no words.

Settling for his kiss instead.


	3. Chapter 3

3

The picnic was joined by the Cleric who had photos of his child, gushing over little things Jack knew Ianto would never have with Dylan. He explained how Ianto had managed to fast track the adoption so the child could live with him in the closed monastery. The child being of a race that was highly religious, of the cleric's faith and bonded to the Cleric at the moment of touch. Jack saw a raw love and idolisation as the man gushed and he explained the child was a deity to their religion, the reincarnation of some god Jack had never heard of and he wondered how far Ianto would go for another. This unwanted child of an un-wed mother who died after giving birth was destined to be an orphan forgotten and cast aside, fate brining her to the gates in the night as she struggled through her labour. Now this child was revered and loved, wanted for nothing and would be treated as a God.

Clearly Ianto's own failed childhood pushed him to ensure it would never happen to another he encountered, his husband ….huh….husband….liked that….his husband was not only powerful in the world of child law, he was a force to be reckoned with.

Jack followed Ianto to the water's edge to wash his hands and leaned in, "I mean that. I know Dylan thinks of you as a parental now, I think you should look at adopting him."

Ianto looked at Jack and blinked, "and there goes the next discussion I was going to have with you tomorrow."

"Next?"

"Well, the first one is an apology for being so focused that I didn't involve you more" Ianto explained, "I am too used to doing things without needing to discuss it. I need to learn to discuss and give some power to you."

Wow" Jack said softly, "Thanks."

"Well, if we are doing this now I also want us to discuss another subject that is niggling" Ianto said as they rose to face one another.

"Yeah?" Jack asked nervously, wondering what else might be wrong.

"The pre-nup. I didn't sign it." Ianto finally said, "I don't want my money separate. I don't want to protect myself. I see no reason to. This is for life, I am in this for life."

"But … you have more wealth… I will never ask for anything" Jack was surprised and felt the spike of delight in the trust Ianto had laid on him. He looked over at his son who was laughing and eating cake then he knew Ianto gave him everything. Everything.

"Come on Cariad, let's go back and let our boy light that candle" Ianto sighed.

"Candle?"

"He's shoved a candle in the cake, I think he wants a wish" Ianto giggled.

"A….a wish?" Jack laughed "Oh gods does he think you can get a wedding wish?"

"Seems like he is going to try it" Ianto rolled his eyes, "Soooooo your child pushing the envelope."

"Our child" Jack kissed Ianto's' throat, "I love you."

"Oh Cariad, words to live by" Ianto glowed, Yes. I will love giving Dylan my heart, you know he already has it as much as you do. I was… I mean I had hoped to speak to you of this but I didn't want to seem like I was minimalizing his mother."

"And here I was in my big boy pants demanding my ex-mother-in-law be here for such an important moment where we bond like a fucktard" Jack sighed.

"Hey, there will be times we do not gel, times we are on different pages. It's OK. As long as we understand one another after a talk, it's fine. Anger and hurt are feelings that ride along with passion and I love you so much there will be times you hurt me. I know this. I also know it will hurt you to learn of my pain." Ianto stepped into his arms and took a kiss. "You are also the balm that soothes."

"Wordsworth" Jack muttered with a growl then he grinned, hugging Ianto to him with glee.

"Come on, I wonder if he will think of a song" Jack sniggered, "Gods, he is a little beast"

"A wonderful, lovely one" Ianto agreed as they settled back on the blanket to watch Dylan clasp his hands, Jack leaning in to light the candle.

"Go on then" Jack said as he moved back, "The Gods of Love might have a wish or two going spare on such a lovely day."

"Yes" Dylan giggled, crouching too close so Ianto grabbed the back of his shorts and held him back, the puffing immense as the child ensured a single puff to blow it out.

He sang 'You are my Sunshine' at the top of his lungs.

They all cheered.


	4. Chapter 4

4

The guests were starting to arrive early and Ianto held back his annoyance as he knew he should have remembered some did this, Andy arriving with Lorenzo who immediately went for the food. Dylan ran over and they soon had full plates heading for somewhere to sit so Dylan could show him the necklace.

"Who is that?" Deidra asked.

"Lorenzo, Enzo" Ianto said and she nodded, remembering him now.

"He looks cleaner" she pointed out and Ianto knew Andy had taken the little man to his place to clean and redress in nice clothes so he would not be embarrassed in such a posh setting. Ianto was pleased Dylan had asked if he could have a friend for the day, also that he had chosen this little boy who needed someone to watch over him. Ianto saw a lot of himself in this sweet boy who he now called his son.

His son.

Lovely.

Lorenzo was shy, choosing to hide behind Dylan and Ianto knew they would soon beg off and head to Dylan's room for a cuddle with Valentine and a movie in the bed. Ianto also knew Jack had made some calls and sooner or later they needed to talk about that little boy. Ianto had his own file and it was decidedly different to Jack's official one. Ianto had called in favours too. The kind that are less polite. The kind currently shadowing a certain bitch that was not invited and was now under house arrest for the day, her hover disabled and the security for the house in lock-down whether she liked it or not. Nothing was going to ruin this day. This was their day.

"And how are you Mister Harkness?" a voice asked and Ianto swung to find a man he had never seen before leering at him, the obvious Harkness chin.

"Doctor" Ianto said, "I am a doctor actually."

"Oh? So you are not just going to ride Jack's coattails then? You did sign the pre-nup right? Standard Harkness thing that" the man pompously asked.

Ianto canted his head as he looked at the man and suddenly remembered his name "Fergus Hershey, right? Your mother was a Harkness?"

"That's right" he nodded.

"I own the building you work in" Ianto said calmly "Actually, I own the company too. I am Ianto Jones. Ianto Harkness-Jones now. I am the major shareholder to the Jones Empire and you work for me. I remember you at a little fundraiser thing for something. Didn't you choke on your kebab"

Sniggering started as Fergus felt himself start to feel faint, finally recognising his boss.

"The pre-nup. Yes. I can't imagine the horror of my millions getting into the depleted coffers of your family. You almost declared bankruptcy last year did you not?" Ianto sniffed, "My family bailed you out. Careful Fergus me old china … remember how MY family got their money eh? I still have ties ya know."

Fergus paled.

Jack stepped in to save him, "Now, now sweetling. We agreed. No stabbing or maiming today."

Ianto swung and looked at him imperiously, "Quite right Cariad. I did promise not to bottle anyone. He is just so annoying to look at. Can you not see the orange tie? Where do you even get an orange tie?"

"Come on" Jack laughed, "Stop it!"

Ianto finally laughed and Fergus realised he was being played with, sighing with relief as his cousin poked at him. "You know Fergus, you really do take after your father's side of the family. I don't think there is much Harkness in you at all, we at least pick our fights."

"Come on, let's cut the cake Cariad" Ianto finally said, "Someone go tell the spawn."

Dylan came pounding out followed by Lorenzo and they both watched with large eyes as Jack and Ianto cut the cake, then Ianto nodded to Tosh who brought out the smaller cake.

"This chocolate cake is for our best man" Ianto said to the guests, "Dylan must cut his cake as well, for luck."

"YES!" Dylan squealed, "Enzo gets the first bit right? Power in the first bit, good luck stuff."

Ianto and Jack watched their boy cut a huge piece and plop it onto a plate, then shove it at him, "Here you go mate."

"Wow!" Lorenzo said as he accepted it, "Thanks."

They settled to eat, another couple of kids moving to join them and Ianto realised the guest list had not only exploded, it had burned to ash as he looked around at people he didn't know.

"Jack?" he poked his husband in the ribs, "Who are all these people?"

"Huh?" Jack looked around, "Um … family. You said I could invite close family. These are cousins and stuff."

"And stuff" Ianto snorted "Damn it Harkness, pushing that envelope."

"Um … well … if we do this now they can all bugger off at dusk and we don't get those coming to visit tomorrow that couldn't come. You know they will find excuses to." Jack explained, "Harkness. Don't take no for an answer."

"Fair enough" Ianto smiled as he remembered the agreement to let things go that didn't really matter in the scheme of things, "Now … is there dancing involved here Captain?"

Jack lit up as he gathered Ianto into his arms and the music began.

Eventually someone put some on for everyone to hear but the two men had been hearing it from the moment they touched.

Like the Cleric aid….

They heard the same drum beat.

.

.

.

.

OK, there you go. Happy now?

The next instalment is called Dylan's Friend and is focuses more on little Enzo who I know you have all noticed.


	5. Chapter 5

Jack was waiting for the right time to approach Ianto about what he had learnt about little Lorenzo, also the fact he had notified Child Services as well as his own contacts to ensure something was done to uplift those children. But it was such an idyllic time, these last few days had been so perfect that he didn't want to spoil it.

Ianto was waiting for the right moment to corner Jack about what he had done with regard to Enzo. He had notified Child Services as well as his own contacts and now the Patch Supply was drying up around the father. He hoped there would be an imposed uplifting soon. But it was such a happy time, these last few days had been … well … perfect ya know? He didn't want to spoil it.

The Gods decided anyway

.

.

.

So the weding is over and now we can focus on what you are all worried about ... Lorenzo. This is the explosion that has been building up and there is nothing more exciting than a Captain in full flight ... well ... maybe with a Tiger flicking his tail too.

They were about to see a real soldier.

And his Captain.


End file.
